For many of us during the pandemic, the dark and cold of winter brings a special sense of dread. But it’s not just this year: the seasonal darkness often collectively takes us by surprise. Like clockwork, we forget how dark and cold it gets - and it turns out, there are reasons for that.
But our perception of the seasonal darkness can also be influenced by ... Show More
Oct 28
Zombies, jack-o’-lanterns, and our spooky scary skeletons
On a recent fishing trip, Nate came across a bone-chilling sight. It was a salmon that seemed kind of… dead. Its skin was falling off, it smelled horrible, and it didn’t have any eyes. Turns out, Nate had stumbled onto a (barely) living example of a recent listener question: “Are ... Show More
31m 22s
Oct 21
Why these food safety experts will eat rare steak, but not buffet fruit salad
Can you eat a tuna sandwich if it sits in your backpack all day? Is ceviche risky? And, after Hot Cyclospora Summer, are we allowed to eat lettuce yet? We brought your food safety questions to Don Schaffner and Ben Chapman, scientists and hosts of the podcast Risky or Not?, and t ... Show More
34m 39s
Dec 2024
Learning to embrace winter, with Kari Leibowitz, PhD
Are you dreading the cold, dark months ahead? In Scandinavia, where the winters are among the coldest and darkest on earth, many people look forward to winter as a time of coziness, beauty and rest. Psychologist Kari Leibowitz, PhD, author of “How to Winter,” talks about how cold ... Show More
40m 32s
Dec 2024
The Winter Mindset: How Norwegians Love the Winter (And You Can Too)
When people think about winter, they often focus on the negatives: the cold, the dark, and the seasonal depression the season can bring. But my guest today questions whether winter really has to be so miserable and says that by changing our mindset, we can actually learn to enjoy ... Show More
1h 1m